February Coming Attractions!

by Caren Crane

February 2, you won't want to miss the fun as Kate Carlisle launches Book Two of her fabulous Bibliophile Mysteries, If Books Could Kill. I can't wait to find out what's happening with Brooklyn and the mysterious Derek! It's going to be a wild time in the Lair, with prizes and cocktails and chocolate and cabana boys...and more. Don't miss the party and the prizes!




February 3, Nancy Northcott hosts Edgar and Emmy Award winner and RITA nominee Hank Phillipi Ryan. Hank will give us the scoop on the ways her career as an investigative reporter influenced her creation of reporter heroine Charlotte McNally, who's juggling a demanding job, a new love, and a budding relationship with her lover's daughter--and risking her neck in the pursuit of truth and justice. Hank's latest Charlotte McNally novel is Drive Time. Can't wait to hear how Hank's experiences inform her writing of this great heroine!




February 4, Donna MacMeans hosts Lisa Cooke, whose new humorous historical release A Midwife Crisis is set in the Appalachian Mountains of the 1890s. A captivating midwife discovers she’s engaged to three different men (thanks to her zany family) and falling in love with a fourth. Lisa will be talking about what we love and hate in heroes. I am a total sucker for zany families!





February 5, Jeanne Adams interviews Brad Parks, whose gritty debut novel Faces Of the Gone follows reporter Carter Ross as he investigates four execution-style murders and finds a connection between the victims that puts him in the killer's sights. The man had a cover quote from my idol Harlan Coben on the cover of his debut. I can't wait to read the book and to know more about Brad!





February 19, romance and urban fantasy author Seressia Glass joins Nancy to discuss Shadow Blade, the first book in the new Shadowchasers urban fantasy series. With an Egyptian dagger missing, a 4000-year-old Nubian warrior seeking it, and sinister forces turning Atlanta upside down to get to the dagger first, shadowchaser Kira Solomon has her hands full. Sounds like spine-tingling fun!





February 21 Christie Kelley interviews Janet Mullany about her new Regency-set historical release, Improper Relations, featuring the impertinent Charlotte Hayden, whose cousin Ann's bad behavior may cost Charlotte the husband she is growing to love. Oh, my, falling in love with one's husband?! What is a Regency woman to do?






Contests and Prizes and New Releases, Oh My!

Anna Campbell recently received the gorgeous Australian edition of Captive Of Sin. It's a lovely trade paperback that isn’t available overseas so she thought she'd share the joy. TWO lucky people can choose which of Anna's four books they’d like to receive in the bigger version, so the prize is a signed copy of either Claiming the Courtesan, Untouched, Tempt the Devil or Captive Of Sin. All you have to do is email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info with the title of her June 2010 release. You might find the answer in the Latest News on her website. For more information, please visit Anna's Contest Page.


Christie Kelley is running a contest on her website through February 28. Just stop by and tell her something scandalous that you've done in your life — she promises not to tell and claims it doesn't have to be scandalous, merely fun — and enter for a chance to win an autographed ARC of Something Scandalous.





February may be the shortest month of the year but it will be jam-packed full of fun! It looks like the happenings in the Lair will be hot enough to keep all of us in the Northern Hemisphere warm. For those currently sweltering in the Southern Hemisphere, at least the party will distract you from the heat and humidity! I hope you will all make a point of popping in each day to see what's happening with all of the hackey hudjson, Bandita Buddies, special guests and, of course, the Golden Rooster!

So, Bandita Buddies, what are YOU looking forward to in February? Inquiring Bandita minds want to know!Source URL: http://violeta-diario.blogspot.com/2010/01/
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2010 Grammy Awards Red Carpet Fashion

See the red carpet fashion styles of your favorite celebrities at the 2010 Grammy Awards.


Lady Gaga in Armani Prive creation.
Katy Perry in a nude flower-embellished dress by Zac Posen.


Carrie Underwood in one-shoulder white dress.
Beyonce in satin gown from Stephane Rolland.


Heidi Klum in plunging v-neck, long-sleeved, above-the-knee dress swirled with bronze and gold sequins.
Marissa Miller in Vintage Gucci white dress.


Jennifer Nettles in in a crimson and black cut-out dress by Victoria Beckham Collection.
Ciara in haute couture gown by Givenchy.


Miley Cyrus in Herve Leger by Max Azria.
Jennifer Hudson in black dress from Victoria Beckham Collection.

Sources: 1, 2
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Valentino Spring 2010 Haute Couture Show

Valentino created their Spring collection with the intention to attract younger group of customers. The theme for Valentino's Spring 2010 Haute Couture Show was Garden of Eden in a modern world. Actually, it reminds me of the Avatar movie.

The majority of the collection is composed of chiffon. See the rest of Valentino's Spring 2010 collection!







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Secret Formula?

by Susan Sey

I hit a writing milestone just before Christmas. I turned in Book 2 on my first contract. Now you'd think Book 1 would be the milestone, wouldn't you? The first one, the big kahuna. The one that merited The Call we writers love to talk about for years and years to come. But I'll tell you the truth--it's Book 2 that I'm really proud of.


And why am I prouder of Book 2 than Book 1? Because I wrote Book 1 (Money, Honey, coming July 6 from Berkley Sensation--have I mentioned that?) under absolutely no pressure. Nobody cared if I wrote it, nobody cared if I finished it, nobody cared what I did between "once upon a time" and "happily ever after." It was my book, my baby, & somebody--goodness only knows why--liked it enough to buy it. That was lucky. Not that I'm knocking luck--I'm darn grateful for it--but with Book 1, I presented the publishing world with a done deal.

Book 2, though? That's a different story. That one you write with somebody looking over your shoulder from start to finish. It's the one you have to outline before you write, & get the outline approved. Then you have to write something approximating the outline, and pray you've managed to turn the outline into a story that has even a little bit of the verve & charm that sold people on the first book.

It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much. I wrote Book 2 two separate times--not two drafts so much as in two completely separate books. I wrote it the first time in about eight months. I wrote it the second time in two months. I don't recall anything between Halloween & Christmas, I truly do not. But I finally got it right. I did the work & I'm proud of it.

I thought I was in for a well-deserved vacation but my agent has recently informed me that we should now be thinking about what we want to propose to my editor for a follow up to Book 2 (now sitting on her desk awaiting jugment.) So for the past two weeks, I've been racking my addled brains for fresh story ideas. For some gorgeous, high-concept pitch that's going to convince the powers that be to take another flier on me in an economy that (to put it politely) blows.

I'll tell you this--for all the flack romance gets for being formulaic, this was not as easy as it should have been. If there's a secret formula out there for writing a best-selling romance, will somebody please send it my way?

In fact, hey, why don't you? If you had to write a recipe for your perfect romance novel, what would it look like? Do you like your heros dark & broody? Funny & smart? Dangerous & suave? What about your heroines? Shy & sheltered? Kick butt & unapologetic? When a dog takes center stage, do you cringe or melt? Give us the skinny! Source URL: http://violeta-diario.blogspot.com/2010/01/
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Double Bandit Booty-Jo Davis & VLT

posted by Suz
Today, I hope to warm up your winter nights by giving away double the bandit booty by announcing winners from guest appearances by Jo Davis and Vicki Lewis Thompson!



The winner of a signed copy of I SPY A WICKED SIN by Jo Davis is LAURIE! The same Laurie who won the Golden Rooster that day! Congratulations, Laurie!

AND

The winner of a signed copy of BLONDE WITH A WAND is MARNEE!! Congratulations Marnee!!

Please send your snail mail address to swwelsh2001 AT yahoo DOT com(yes there are 2 W's in that addy.) And I will see that both Jo and Vicki get those prizes to you ASAP!Source URL: http://violeta-diario.blogspot.com/2010/01/
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The Passing of Icons

by Jo Robertson



My husband says everything comes in three’s. Three natural disasters in a row, three appliances breaking down within months of one another, three celebrity deaths.

This week two very different but memorable writers passed away.

According to reports, American crime writer Robert B. Parker died at the age of 77 at his desk, writing, of course -- the literary equivalent of a cowboy dying with his boots on. The incredibly prolific writer, noted especially for the Spenser (no first name) series (“s,” not “c,” like Edmund Spenser), also penned the Sunny Randall series, as well as my personal favorite, the Jesse Stone books. He also wrote numerous stand-alone books and westerns.

When I heard the news of Parker's death, I felt like an old friend had died. He's one of the few writers I auto-buy in hardback and his Spenser books are a throw-back to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammet.

Then on Thursday reclusive J.D. Salinger, whose iconic work The Catcher in the Rye has been read by millions of teenagers (usually in their sophomore year in high school), died at the age of 91.

The Catcher in the Rye is rich with teenage angst, rebellion, and alienation. I taught Catcher for many years and have had parents seek me out at Back to School Nights to say, “This was the defining book of my adolescence. Thank God, you’re teaching it.”
Or, on a rare occasion, a parent might grumble something like, “That damned book ought to be banned.” Such controversy has surrounded the book since its publication in 1951.

Risking the wrath of a conservative school board, I went all Holden Caulfield on the latter kinds of parents, showing a spark of courage in my career when answering, “I don’t believe in censorship of any kind.” Ouch, what a rebel.

So now I hold my breath, not really superstitious, but uneasy, wondering silently what I’d do if one of my favorite writers no longer penned the stories I love. It’s unthinkable that I’d never read a new book by Stephen King or J.D. Robb, J.R. Ward or Kate Atkinson, Meg Gardiner or Anna Campell, Mary Balogh or Anne Perry, Robert Crais or Michael Connelly. And the list goes on . . .

Salinger hadn’t published in forty-five years but by accounts there were piles and piles of notebooks at his home. He claimed he continued to write because he enjoyed it so much.


Right now I’m reading Brimstone, one of Parker’s westerns. A new Jesse Stone book comes out next month. Was this the last book he wrote, I wonder?


Now, your turn, readers. Which two authors would you mourn if they never wrote a new piece of writing? They don’t have to die! Just no more new stories. And yes, you must narrow it down to two and you must share why.
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Cheap Timberwolves Clippers Tickets!

Hey Timberwolves and Clippers fans!! Ticket King would like you to know that we have an AWESOME selection of Timberwolves vs. Clippers tickets for the game tonight at the Target Center. Our ticket prices start at just $5 for upper level tickets or $50 for lowers. We even have courtside seats that are currently HALF of face value! Grab yours now before they're gone!!Source URL: http://violeta-diario.blogspot.com/2010/01/
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Jason Aldean Odeum Colorado Tickets

Jason Aldean will be performing at The Odeum Colorado (formerly the Broomfield Event Center) in Broomfield, Colorado on Thursday, March 18th. Ticket King has a very nice selection of Jason Aldean tickets to the show starting at just $70 each for seats on the main floor! These great deals will NOT last long so grab them now while you still can! Source URL: http://violeta-diario.blogspot.com/2010/01/
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WWE US Bank Arena Tickets

Hey WWE fans!! Ticket King has great news for you! The superstars of WWE will be coming to US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday, May 22nd at 7:30 pm. If you haven't had the chance to see these guys live in action, now is your chance to get GREAT seats at a very inexpensive price! Our WWE US Bank Arena tickets currently start at just $40 each for lower levels. You won't find deals this great anywhere else so grab them now!!Source URL: http://violeta-diario.blogspot.com/2010/01/
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short hair cuts

Driving home Evelin wondered if she could improve her life by styling herself with one of the new, modern and mostly short hair cuts of Jessica Alba who appeared to be Evelin's most respected Hollywood actress.


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Chanel Spring 2010 Haute Couture Show

According to Karl Lagerfeld, he had never done a collection without black or navy except for his Spring 2010 Collection for Chanel. For his Spring 2010 Haute Couture Show, Lagerfeld chose a silver and pastel theme. The models sported heart-shaped cartoonish hair, shorts suits, bubble skirts, flowing togas and rococo-heeled silver booties. Checkout the majestic pieces shown in Chanel Spring 2010 Haute Couture Show!


Trivia: According to Instyle.com, Karl Lagerfeld used the heart-shaped hairdo of Lady Gaga for the show.









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